Staying Dirty Read Online Free

touched for the very last time—this bastard kicked our hands apart. He couldn’t even allow us that.
    “And then he unzipped his pants.
    “Do you know what my last memory of that night is?” I look into Anthony’s eyes, now red form the bursting blood vessels.
    “You climbing on top of my girlfriend—the woman I loved with all my heart—and violating her as she whimpered her pleas for you to stop .”
    I release him, letting him fall to the floor. He wheezes, gasping and gagging as he fights for air.
    “Tell me how to find Bates or I will make you understand firsthand what I witnessed that night.” I peer down at him, making sure he hears my next words. “You have a lovely wife. It would be a shame for her to be punished for your sins.”
     

Six
    Rocky
     
    Seeing Link break down like this rips my heart to shreds. I’ve never watched someone relive their pain like this before. But I feel every ounce of his anguish.
    “I swear,” Anthony says, his voice hoarse and raspy, “I have no idea where Carter is. I don’t have a number. I don’t have an address. I’ve never wanted to look for him. But if you give him time, he’ll contact me. He always does.”
    “What do you mean?” Link demands.
    Anthony rubs his throat, eyeing Link as he paces in front of him. “He shows up randomly. Checking in. Making sure I’m keeping my mouth shut about that night. With Steve killing himself—his picture in the paper and the connection to you with those articles he kept—Carter will come for me, reminding me to ignore any conscience I might be struggling with.”
    Link stares Anthony down, contemplating his words.
    I don’t understand the sound I hear until Anthony’s face pales and his eyes widen with horror.
    A little girl skips into the kitchen, humming to herself. Her shoes skid to a stop as her eyes trail over the mess Link made in his rage. And then she looks at each of us, one at a time, her gaze finally landing on her dad, still sprawled on the floor. He raises a hand as if he’s trying to grab her or push her away. I’m not sure which.
    “Emma, did you take your shoes off?” A woman who can only be Anthony’s wife comes around the corner directly behind the girl, flipping through the stack of mail in her hand.
    “NO,” Anthony screams. “RUN.” He propels himself to his feet, leaping toward Link.
    The woman sucks in a startled breath, dropping the envelopes to the floor. She reaches blindly for her daughter, curling her other hand protectively around her belly.
    As Anthony plunges into him, Link brings his hand up defensively. The solid length of his forearm connects with Anthony’s chin, snapping his teeth together loudly.
    Link grabs Anthony’s wrist, twisting until the man falls to his knees, his face distorted with pain. Link kicks him away, pulling the knife from his pocket once again.
    “Bethany,” Anthony says carefully, his voice gravelly. His eyes flick rapidly between his wife, his daughter, and Link. “Take Emma and go. Get out of here.”
    Link moves quickly, stepping between Bethany and Emma. My heart pounds in my chest. I don’t want to believe Link would ever hurt either of them—but I have no idea the lengths he’ll go to at this point.
    “Bethany,” Link says softly, “I need you to come have a seat beside your husband. Now.” He places his hand on Emma’s shoulder, making sure her mother can see the knife. Bethany cries out, doing as she’s told.
    “Please don’t hurt my little girl,” she begs between sobs. Emma begins to cry, witnessing her mother’s tears.
    I want to cover my ears. I want to close my eyes—block all this out. I want to be anywhere but here. I can’t do this. I can’t watch Link do this. I can’t watch him torture this poor woman and her daughter.
    “I’m not going to hurt her,” Link murmurs. My head snaps to him because I think he’s talking to me. That he somehow read my thoughts. But he’s staring at Bethany, his face a mask of